National Republican., 1887-09-09
Correcting Misstatem ents.

EDITOR NATtoEAL REPUBLICAN In your
report Of the proceedings Of tho Committee
OF One Hundred Mr.. W. II Singleton, chalr-
man Of the committee on water, is reported
ne saying:
In the report printed In the EUcnfng st m
Aug. q, 1881, il this statement:
'Duiiug the six yeats from 1880 to 1885. WHOM,
according to the table Just gwen, there were
cxrcndrd Sss,0g2. 20 for laying water m IinS,
there were collected as water main taxes the
sum of slll 6gI 8O."
little over SO OUO per annum. Hence, It would
appear that the water msin tax not only lays
the mains, but actually Is source of surplus
revenue.
MIR Singleton surely cannot have read
what has hetn published on this question
the pnst three months, or he would not
have made such u statement
II is true that when the cost OF LAYING
water mains Is correctly stated, aud the
assessments at II cents per square foot cor
recUy made and honestly collected, that
there is rot only profit on the worK, but
large profit, amounting on 40 average, at
the present time, to over 200 per cent
Mr. singleton states the profits On laying
water mains for the six wears ending June
70. 1856. at S36,G7l 90. when the facts are
that there was not only no profit at ALL
according TO the official figures, but heavy
loss. That there was a profit that went
into somebody's pocket, there can he no
doubt but the District, IL the official figures
are correct, did not yet the benefit Of that
profit. 1t is tbis, that tue Water Takers
Protective Association has been trying to
make clear to the people.
MIR. Singleton overlooks the fact that
there was standing on the books at the
water office for water main taxes June
30. 1850, 500, ,25S 45, and June 30, 1885, only
Si5,379 80; total, d7, SO 06; showing that
a. "a "a
i47, 7,4TD 0B from the f99 05S 45 on the books
June 20, 1850 THIS deducted from the
mount collected during those six years
shows th. following result, to wit; Ampudt
collected for water main taxes for the six
Years ending June 80, 1856, 1921 6Jl 30
Dtduct amount collected from that on tht
book June 80, 1850, aud we have as the
amount collected for water S41, ,579. 06; mains
aid for the siX Years ending June 80, 1886,
Sails "a Deduct this from official state.
neBt Of cost OF laying mains those six
years ard We have the following result:
Cost OF laying mains, SSS O22 90: collections
for water taxes, 77,ll5.24; net loss besides
interest and profits, $l0,90T 4G.
II must not be forgotten that these water
main assessments are on interest at the rate
II 10 per cent. per anbum, so that much OF
this S77, 7,ll5 "a collected for water malu
taxes during these six years Is for the ac-
cumulated Interest, which will nring ths
rmount actually collected In return for the
SsS,022 20 expended down to not mucn
over $4,000
have stated this once before, and up to
this time II has not been denied. Why Mr.
Singleton, as chairman OF a committee.
ehould accept Capt. Symous's figures as
correct In the face OF such a showing as |
have made from official figures l am at a
loss TO understand, unless he had failed to
| read what has been published on this sub
| iect. He will flpd the amount In arrears
| for water main taxes June 80, 1880, on page
800 of the commissioners report for that
| year, and the amount in arrears for water
main taxes June 30, 1886, on page 1913 OF
| the commissioners report for 1886
j. IL. CRANE